Returning A Lifetime
by Akatsuki Dawn
Summary: He asked her to wait, never knowing what she sacrificed in order to do so while he forgot. When Kohaku enters Chihiro's school, will he meets her rubyeyed friend. When she restores the memories of his life, what cn he offer that can possibly replace every


A/N: It's my first Spirited Away fanfic, and it's been…how many years since I've seen it-three? Heck. Asami watches it all the time, so if I get something wrong, you tell me, and I'll watch it again. Anyways, this is a songfic. **I DO NOT OWN THE SONGS.**

Disclaimer: Spirited Away is legal property of Hayao Miyazaki, 'All You Wanted' is legal property of Michelle Branch, 'Anna Ni Issho Datta No Ni' belongs to See-Saw, and 'I Will Remember You' belongs to Sarah McLachlan. The three CCS characters I threw in belong to Clamp. They're there for random reasons, and will not appear again in other chapters until further notice.

Also, Kana is, quite unfortunately, not mine, though she is an original character. She belongs to Sakura Arielle, and I am borrowing her illegally. But she belongs to my siste, so...yeah. No biggie.

Note: The uniforms of Tomoeda Middle School are like those of Kaibara High School in Fruits Basket.

* * *

_I wanted to be like you,_

_I wanted everything…_

_So I tried to be like you_

_And I got swept away, hey…_

A slim white hand slowly tucked a stack of books into her dark blue off the shoulder backpack. In went the folder, with the papers due neatly tucked inside, and the small bag with the pens and white-out, pencils and highlighters, erasers and fine liners. Last of all, a laptop was carefully slid into the cushioned folds of a backpack layer.

_I didn't know that it was so cold and _

_You needed someone to show you the way  
So I took your hand and we figured out that _

_When the time comes  
I'd take you away_

She quickly zipped both layers up, carrying the backpack to the kitchen where the radio was loudly blaring on the counter, beside the half-curtained window.

_If you want to_

_I can save you,_

_I can take you away from here…_

_So lonely inside, _

_So busy out there_

_And all you wanted was somebody who cares…_

Leaning out, beautiful, sad crimson eyes scanned the campus of Tomoeda Middle School. In a small group by the Sakura tree, Tomoyo, Sakura and Syaoran stood. She smiled a bit, turning.

_I'm sinking slowly,_

_So hurry, hold me_

_Your hand is all I have to keep me hanging on_

_Please can you tell me_

_So I can finally see_

_Where you go when you're gone_

She wore her school uniform, consisting of a dark navy skirt ending a few inches below her knees and a classic top of matching dark navy with two flaps of folded collar coming down to the chest and joining there. Another part came under the white collar, starting a little below the collar. Tying up her new, white-and-violet runners and exiting the kitchen, she plopped herself down on the loveseat in the living room and waited, listening carefully to the music.

_If you want to_

_I can save you,_

_I can take you away from here…_

_So lonely inside, _

_So busy out there_

_And all you wanted was somebody who cares…_

She picked up a nearby magazine, seemingly reading it as her eyes stared blankly at nothing.

_All you wanted was somebody who cares_

_If you need me, you know I'll be there_

_Oh, yeah…_

_If you want to_

_I can save you,_

_I can take you away from here…_

_So lonely inside, _

_So busy out there_

_And all you wanted was somebody who cares_

_If you want to_

_I can save you,_

_I can take you away from here…_

_So lonely inside, _

_So busy out there_

_And all you wanted was somebody who cares…_

The doorbell rang abruptly. She picked up her backpack quickly, rushing to the door. The flushed face of her best friend Ogino Chihiro appeared, one lean arm grabbing on to the doorframe for balance. "Hi Kana-chan!" "Sen-chan, you're late." Chihiro beamed. "Gomen nasai, Kana-chan!" Kana smiled. "Let me turn off the radio, and then we'll leave, okay?" Chihiro nodded, and Kana turned.

_Please can you tell me,_

_So I can finally see…_

Her hand moved to turn the switch to off…

_Where you go when you're gone…

* * *

_

_**RETURNING A LIFETIME**_

Chapter One

_Reminiscence

* * *

_

"Pray tell, Chihiro, the reason for your ultra hyper genkiness today?" Kana hung her backpack up in the bottom half of her locker, which was beside Chihiro's, and began laying the books and assignments in order from first needed to last needed so all she needed to do before every class is to take the sheets and books at the top of the pile and put them back in her backpack when she was done. Chihiro, however, had a different idea. Her papers were in one messy pile, the books beside them in a neater one, and her backpack on the floor of her locker's bottom half.

_anna ni issho datta no ni _

_yuugure wa mou chigau iro_

_arifureta yasashisa wa kimi wo toozakeru dake_

_tsumetaku kirisuteta kokoro wa samayou bakari_

_sonna kakkowarusa ga ikiru to iu koto nara_

_samuzora no shita me wo tojite iyou_

Chihiro smiled. "It's been exactly five years since I disappeared, you know, for five weeks." Kana raised an eyebrow. "And you are happy about that _because_…?"

_anna ni issho datta no ni_

_kotoba hitotsu tooranai kasoku shiteiku senaka ni ima wa_

_anna ni issho datta no ni yuugure wa mou chigau iro_

_semete kono tsukiakari no shita de shizuka na nemuri wo_

She shrugged. "I don't know, it just seems like something to be happy about." Kana smiled. "Right…let's go, Sen-chan. We don't want to be late." Chihiro nodded as Kana took out her laptop and put it on a shelf. She grabbed her History and Arithmetic books plus their assignment sheets and put them neatly into her bag. Chihiro did likewise after a short pause, and they both walked-well, Chihiro skipped-down the hall.

_unmei to umaku tsukiatte iku nara kitto_

_kanashii toka sabishii nante itte rarenai_

_nando mo tsunagatta kotoba wo muryoku ni shite mo_

_taikutsu na yoru wo tsubushitainda ne_

Kana sat down lazily in the desk in row three, column four. On her left sat Daidouji Tomoyo or Moyo-chan, on her right was an empty seat. Behind her was Li Syaoran, or Li-kun, behind Tomoyo was Kinomoto Sakura or Satchan. Behind the empty seat was Chihiro.

Kotoko-sensei smiled as she entered. Her long, soft fawn hair was clipped up in a messy clump, with a few strands loosely framing her face. "Ohayo, everyone!" "OHAYO GOZIMAS, KOTOKO-CHAN-SENSEI!" Kotoko-sensei smiled. "Today we have a new student joining us. Please welcome…"

"Nigihayami Kohaku."

_anna ni issho datta no ni_

_fuzoroi na futari ni ima tadoritsukeru basho nado nainda_

_anna ni issho datta no ni hajimete au yokogao ni_

_fushigi na kurai ni miserareteru tomadou kurai ni_

A sixteen or seventeen year old boy walked in. He wore the male uniform of a navy shirt, a white tie and dark navy pants. His eyes were crisp jade, and his hair was raven and straight, clipped evenly to collar length. Kana gaped.

Kohaku's eyes scanned over the class, over her. He didn't recognize her.

'_I knew it…_' she thought, removing her eyes from the new boy, '_I knew he would forget. Zeniba -Granny- told me so._' She paused, thinking about her kindly grandmother. '_So why…?_' When she looked up again, Kotoko-sensei was asking him if he knew anybody. "Chihiro. I know Chihiro." Kana's eyes widened and she turned to see a beaming Chihiro. She turned back as Kotoko-sensei sighed.

Kana immediately knew what the teacher was thinking. Since Kohaku knew Chihiro, it was only reasonable that Chihiro show Kohaku around. But Chihiro wasn't the best of students…she was a writer, a dreamer. A day dreamer.

"Alright, Nigihayami-san… Ogino-san will show you around, _accompanied_ by Yamato-san. Yamato-san, raise your hand, please?" Blankly, Kana did so. "Nigihayami-san, take the seat beside her, please." Kana stared in horror. '_Oh, no…_'

_kokoro wa doko ni iru? doko ni fukarete iru? sono hitomi ga mayowanu you ni_

_anna ni issho datta no ni_

_kotoba hitotsu tooranai ugoki hajimeta kimi no jounetsu_

_anna ni issho datta no ni yuugure wa mou chigau iro_

_semete kono tsukiakari no shita de shizuka na nemuri wo

* * *

_

Fifty minutes later, Kana stood outside the classroom, waiting silently. Her skirt swished in the incoming wind as two girls passed. Their skirts were shorter, about half-thigh length. "Kana-kun!" Kana looked up. "Moyo-chan? Satchan?" Tomoyo beamed. "What are you doing?" "I'm waiting for Chihiro and Ha-um, Nigihayami-san." Tomoyo squealed. "Nigihayami-kun and Chi-chan haven't arrived yet? Ooh!" Kana smiled. "Watch out, Moyo-chan. The fangirls are hissing." Sakura laughed and dragged Tomoyo away…towards, of course, Syaoran. Kana smiled again.

_I will remember you  
Will you remember me?  
Don't let your life pass you by  
Weep not for the memories  
_

The door opened, and Chihiro stepped out. She, too, wore the shorter length of skirt. She smiled apologetically at Kana. " Gomen nasai, Kana!" "Ne, ne. It's alright, Sen-chan. Shall we go before I start wondering what naughty little things you were doing in there?"

Remember the good times that we had?  
I let them slip away from us when things got bad  
How clearly I first saw you smilin' in the sun  
Wanna feel your warmth upon me, I wanna be the one

Chihiro blushed. "Kana-chan! Haku-kun is my best friend!" Kana smiled. "I thought _I _was! Oh, well, then…let's go." Chihiro looked horrified. "Oh, but I haven't properly introduced my _two _best friends yet!" Kana shook her head. "It's alright. I know Nigihayami-san-""Kohaku, please." Kana looked at him strangely, and then continued. "Anyways… I know _Nigihayami_-san. I'm Yamato Kana. Pleased to meet you. Now let's _go_."

_  
I will remember you  
Will you remember me?  
Don't let your life pass you by  
Weep not for the memories  
_

"Kana, you can call Haku-kun Kohaku, you know." "I insist not to." Kana turned. "I suppose we're going to move sometime soon? Sen-chan, lead the way."

_  
I'm so tired but I can't sleep  
Standin' on the edge of something much too deep  
It's funny how we feel so much but we cannot say a word  
We are screaming inside, but we can't be heard  
_

Kohaku walked beside Kana silently. When Chihiro finally expressed the need to answer nature's call, he turned to Kana. "I know you." Kana stared at him dully. "State the obvious, Nigihayami-san." "No, Kana. I _know _you. But…I don't remember. What is it?" "I know you too. I know where you come from. I know Granny, and Granny's sister. I know the boiler-man. I know Rin. I know the bathhouse, and I know that an oversized baby is my uncle. I know the gods, the lands, and…I knew your family." She paused, thinking. "But, of course…you don't know me."

_  
But I will remember you  
Will you remember me?  
Don't let your life pass you by  
Weep not for the memories  
_

He stared at her. "What…?" She smiled. "And since I've told you all this, I'll just be leaving."

_  
I'm so afraid to love you, but more afraid to loose  
Clinging to a past that doesn't let me choose  
Once there was a darkness, deep and endless night  
You gave me everything you had, oh you gave me light  
_

With another, dimmer smile and a swish of a skirt, she turned. Walking down the hall, she opened her locker door. Retrieving her backpack, she piled everything into it. Waving to the still stunned Kohaku, she left.

_  
And I will remember you  
Will you remember me?  
Don't let your life pass you by  
Weep not for the memories  
_

Chihiro came out to see Kohaku staring at the school's front doors. "Haku? What's wrong?" He looked at her. "That friend of yours…Kana…she just left." "Oh? Hmm…well, I guess she wanted some fresh air, shell's be back-""No, Chihiro. I mean, she packed up and _left_." "What did you do?" "Nothing. But it seems…she knows…"

_  
And I will remember you  
Will you remember me?  
Don't let your life pass you by  
Weep not for the memories  
Weep not for the memories_

"Weep not for the memories…"

* * *

A/N: Who wants to guess who said that last part? I'll give you a cookie if you guess correctly. Anyways…update in a while. It seems…Kana is popping up quite a bit! 

Now, for a time killer, click that little purple button to REVIEW!

Uzumi


End file.
